(1) The production of iron, steel, manufactured goods, coal
and timber provides jobs and family income to many individuals in
this state and, in turn, the jobs and family incomes of millions of
persons in the United States;

(2) The taxes paid to the state and its political subdivisions
by employers and employees engaged in the production and sale of
iron, steel, manufactured goods, coal and timber are a large source
of public revenues for West Virginia;

(3) The economy and general welfare of West Virginia and its
people and the economy and general welfare of the United States are
inseparably linked to the preservation and development of
manufacturing, harvesting and mineral extraction industries in this
state, as well as all the other states of this nation;

(4) The state's taxpayer dollars are better spent if
reinvested with its individual and employer taxpayers in order to
foster job retention and growth, particularly within the
manufacturing, harvesting and mineral extraction sectors, and to
ensure a broad and healthy tax base for future investments vital to
the state's infrastructure; and

(5) West Virginia's procurement policies should reflect the
state's and the nation's principles ensuring that the products of
those companies and workers who abide by workplace safety and
environmental laws, rules and regulations should be rewarded with
a commonsense preference in government contracting.

(b) Declaration of policy. -- It is the policy of West Virginia that the state and its political subdivisions should aid
and promote the economy of this state and the United States by
requiring a preference for the procurement of iron, steel,
manufactured goods, coal and timber produced in the United States
in all contracts for the construction, reconstruction, repair,
improvement or maintenance of public buildings and public works
projects.

(c) The Purchasing Division and the Division of Labor shall
jointly convene the task force created in subsection (d) of this
section to study the use of American-made construction materials
and manufactured goods in the various aspects of the construction
and maintenance of public buildings and public works projects of
the state and its political subdivisions which are funded in part
by state grants, state loans or state appropriations.

(d) A task force is hereby created to assist the divisions
with this study. The task force shall consist of:

(1) An architect, an engineer and a contractor, each
designated by his or her respective licensing board;

(2) One representative of the largest organization
representing West Virginia manufacturers;

(3) One representative each from the Division of Highways, the
School Building Authority, the Water Development Authority, the
General Services Division and the Higher Education Policy
Commission; and

(4) Four labor representatives chosen by the largest labor
organization in the state.

(e) The study shall include, but not be limited to:

(1) The need to maintain a list of all suppliers qualified to
provide construction materials and manufactured goods produced in
the United States;

(2) The percentage of domestically produced construction
materials and manufactured goods to be included in a construction
project to qualify it as built with American made construction
materials and manufactured goods; and

(3) Possible changes to the bid process, including waiver
requirements.

(f) The directors of the Purchasing Division and the Division
of Labor shall report the Joint Committee on Government and
Finance, by December 31, 2012, on the task force's findings on the
best methods of promoting the American production of iron, steel,
manufactured goods, coal and timber and creating jobs through a buy
American mandate, as well as the burdens and benefits of such
mandate on the construction industry in West Virginia and the
state's public building and public works projects.
Note: WV Code updated with legislation passed through the 2014 1st Special Session
The WV Code Online is an unofficial copy of the annotated WV Code, provided as a convenience. It has NOT been edited for publication, and is not in any way official or authoritative.